1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet feeding apparatus and an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Today, an image forming apparatus, i.e., a printer and a copier, configured to form an image on a sheet of paper (referred to simply as a ‘sheet’ hereinafter) supplied from a sheet feeding apparatus to an image forming portion spreads widely. Such image forming apparatus is demanded to be able to feed various kinds of sheets such as small size sheets, e.g., a postcard and an envelope, and sheets having various surface natures, e.g., a coated paper and an embossed paper, from the sheet feeding apparatus. Then, the image forming apparatus is arranged to stack these various kinds of sheets on a manual feed tray and to feed these sheets to an image forming portion by using the sheet feeding apparatus (referred to simply as a ‘manual feeding apparatus’ hereinafter) feeding a sheet stacked on the manual feed tray to the image forming portion by using a feed roller. It is noted that the manual feed tray is provided openably on a side surface of an image forming apparatus body and is attached inside of a cover (door) forming a sheath of the image forming apparatus body. When this manual feed tray is not in use, it is stored within the image forming apparatus body following a closing operation of the cover.
As such manual feeding apparatus, there is one configured as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Hei. 09-30658 for example. In order to downsize the image forming apparatus body (referred to simply as an ‘apparatus body’ hereinafter), this manual feeding apparatus is configured such that the feed roller projects out of the side surface of the apparatus body when the cover on the side surface is opened and is stored within the apparatus body when the cover is closed by being pushed by the manual feed tray.
The manual feed tray is provided with side end regulating members regulating widthwise positions orthogonal to a sheet feeding direction of a sheet to be fed. This side end regulating members are provided to adjust the widthwise positions of the sheet with an image to be formed in the image forming portion and to prevent a skew of the sheet when the sheet is delivered from the manual feed tray. The side end regulating members are also provided movably in the width direction orthogonal to the sheet feeding direction in order to be able to regulate the positions of the sheet by abutting with side edges of the sheet even if it is a sheet of different size.
By the way, the feed roller and the manual feed tray of such manual feeding apparatus are stored within the apparatus body when no sheet is fed from the manual feed tray as described above. However, if the side end regulating members are located at a position regulating a smallest size sheet at this time for example, there is a case when the side end regulating members abut against a roller holder holding the feed roller, thus disabling to close the manual feed tray.
Then, it is necessary to assure a space between the roller holder and the side regulating member in a cover opening/closing direction so that the roller holder does not abut against the side regulating members located at the position for regulating the smallest sheet in the state in which the cover is closed. However, if this space is tried to be assured, the apparatus body is enlarged. Because the arrangement of storing the feed roller within the apparatus body by pushing the feed roller by the manual feed tray when the cover is closed is made to downsize the apparatus body in particular, this arrangement poses a problem that it cannot meet the original need.
It is noted that because the feed roller needs a certain width (widthwise length) in order to stably deliver the sheet without a skew, it is difficult to reduce a widthwise length of the roller holder.